News briefs

Due to ongoing generous support of Hesston College, college officials announced in July that the Annual Fund goal was met. About 750 households from 36 states and three countries are members of the Partner program and are a primary reason for the success as 80 percent of the $1.24 million goal came from Partner gifts. All of the money raised for the Annual Fund provides institutional scholarships for students.

“Steady enrollment, generous contributions, strong academics and student life, and a positive learning environment have all contributed to this positive outcome,” said President Howard Keim ’72.

Official fall 2011 numbers show an increased enrollment with a total student count of 468 as compared to 448 a year ago, including 249 new students. Hesston students represent 27 states and 14 countries.

About 470 student, faculty, staff and community volunteers helped swipe out hunger during Numana’s first State Wide Packaging Event (SWIPE) at Hesston Oct. 1. Numana is an international hunger relief organization based in El Dorado, Kan., that facilitates volunteer food-packaging events throughout the country and sends the meals world-wide to areas where famine and hunger are greatest. The Hesston College community packaged more than 50,000 meals and raised the $15,000 necessary to ship the meals to their destination in the horn of Africa. Each meal, which consists of rice, soy protein, freeze-dried pinto beans and 21 vitamins and minerals, costs 30 cents to prepare and will feed six people.

Students prepare the Hesston Community Garden for spring planting during No Impact Week Sept. 25 to Oct. 2. The week was a campus-wide lesson in sustainability and creation care.

Sophomore Krista Rittenhouse (Mt. Pleasant, Pa.) leads a pack of runners. The women’s cross country team was ranked 19th and 22nd in the Hill ’n Dale national NJCAA rankings during the first two weeks of the season. Photo by Curtis Denlinger